Mail delivering and receiving device.



J. A. BOSSI. MAIL DELIVERING AND RECEIVING DEVICE.

APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 27,1909. K 939,793. Patented N0v.9,1909.

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APPLICATION FILED FEB. 27, 1909. 939,793. Patented Nov. 9, 1909.

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MAIL DELIVERING AND RECEIVING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 9, 1909.

Application filed February 27, 1909. Serial No. 480,381.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. BossI, a citizen of the United States, residing at lVyalusing, in the county of Grant and State of lVisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail Delivering and Receiving Devices, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to a mail bag delivering and receiving apparatus and has for its object the provision of means for facilitating the delivering and receiving of mail bags to and from fast moving trains.

Another object of this invention is the production of a mail bag delivering and receiving device carried by a car, which after the mail bags have been delivered thereon will be swung inside the car.

lVith these and other objects in view, this invention consists of certain novel constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed. 1

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the apparatus in actual operation. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the guide brackets, upon which the mail bag supporting arm travels. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view partly in section of the vertical supporting member of the mail bag delivering and receiving device, which is placed to one side of the railroad track. Fig. 4t is a detail perspective of the mail bag supporting hook. Fig. is a sectional view of the spring pressed plunger, which normally holds the mail bag supporting arm carried by the car, in a set position upon the guide bracket.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, 1 designates a vertical supporting standard, which is provided with brackets 2 and upon which brackets is mounted a rotatable vertical member 3 which supports at its upper end a horizontal extending member at. The horizontal member 4 carries at each end a mail bag hook catching device 5 and a mail bag hook supporting device 6. The vertical member 3 is provided at its lower end with a circular disk 7. To the vertical standard 1 is secured a block or outwardly extending portion 8 to which block is secured at one end a cylindrical casing 9. A plunger rod 10 is eccentrically attached to the cylindrical disk which carries at its inner end a plunger head 11. Positioned in the casing around the plunger rod 10 is a coil spring 12 which normally holds the plunger head in engagement with the rear end of the casing 12. Therefore it will be obvious that when the standard 3 is rotated by means of having a mail bag delivered upon the receiving hooks, the rotary movement of said standard 3 will have a tendency to be retarded through the medium of the spring-pressed plunger 10, in view of the fact that the outer end of, the plunger rod 10 is eccentrically secured to the cylindrical disk 7.

Secured to the upper end of the vertical standard 1 is a vertical bracket 13 to which is connected a latch member 14, which is provided with a hooked end 15. Upon the rotatable standard 3 is positioned an outwardly extending lug or pin 16 and the hooked end 15 of the latch member 15 is adapted to engage said pin 16 and normally hold the vertical standard 3 from rotating. A coil spring 17 is connected to the latch member 14 near the hooked end 15 and to the vertical bracket 13, and said coil spring is adapted to normally hold the hooked end 15 in engagement with the pin 16. Upon the opposite end of the latch member 14 is formed an enlarged portion or ball 18, which makes it easy for the pin 16 to be removed from under the hooked end 15 when it is desired for the vertical member 3 to be rotated.

The mail bag hook carrying device, as hereinbefore stated, is secured to one end of the horizontal member t and constitutes an elongated jaw 19 and a short jaw 20. The elongated jaw 19 is provided at its outer end with a bent or folded portion 21 which forms a hook. Therefore, it will be obvious that when the mail bag supporting hook, hereinafter described, is delivered upon the mail bag hook catching device, the mail will be held thereon by means of said hooked portion 21. The short jaw 20 also tends to hold the supporting hook upon the catching device. I

Upon each end of the horizontal member 4, as hereinbefore stated is carried a mail bag hook supporting device 6 which constitutes an outwardly bowed-portion 22 forming a substantially U-shaped portion. Upon one side of said outwardly bowed-portion 22 is formed a plate 23 which is adapted to support the mail bag supporting hook. The mail bag hook comprises an inverted U-shaped portion 24, upon one side of which are formed outwardly extending arms 25, which are bent or folded at their outer ends, back upon themselves and thereby forming inwardly extending portions 26 and said inwardly extending portions terminate into a depending V-shaped portion 27, adapted to support rings attached to a mail bag. The ends of the U-shaped portion 24 extend below the outwardly extending arms 25, as at 28 thereby constituting stops.

When the mail bag supporting hook is placed upon the plate 23, the stops 28 will be positioned into the notches 29 formed in one side of the plate 23 and thereby prevent the accidental removal of the hook otl' of said plate 23. The plate 23 is formed of a substantially wedge-shaped portion, tapering toward one side, and, therefore, it will be obvious that the arms 25 and the inwardly extending portion 26 will fit closely against the faces of the plate 23 and thereby clamp the supporting hook upon said plate. However, when the hooked device 5 catches the mail bag supporting hook the members 25 and 26 will spring apart and the stops 28 will be withdrawn from the notches 29 and the hook can be readily withdrawn or displaced from the plate 23.

The mail bag delivering and receiving apparatus carried by the car, comprises a plate 30 to which is secured brackets 31 and 32. The primary bracket 31 is provided with an enlarged portion 33 and the auxiliary bracket 32 is provided with an angle portion 34. To the bracket 33 is pivotally secured a link member'35 by means of a vertical bolt or rod 36. Upon this rod 36 is positioned a coil spring 37 and upon the enlarged portion 33 of the arm 31' is positioned a ratchet wheel 38 and a pall 39 is positioned to one side of said ratchet wheel and is adapted to engage the same. The ratchet wheel 38 is adapted to regulate the tension of the spring 37 and the angular disposed portion carries at its outer end a spring bumper 40 which is adapted to be engaged by the mail bag carrying arm, hereinbefore described.

To the plate 30 is secured a guide bracket 41 and said guide bracket is provided with extending feet 42 and 43 for securing the same securely, to the plate 30. The guide bracket 41 is provided with a curved slot 44 in which is adapted to work a pin 45 secured to the mail bag supporting arm 46. The inner end of the mail bag supporting arm 46 is pivotally secured to the outer end of the arm or member 35. To the under face of the guide bracket 41 is secured a casing 47 in which is positioned a plunger rod 48 which carries a plunger head 49'. Positioned in the casing 47 and around the plunger rod 48 is a spring 50 which is adapted to hold the plunger head 49 against one end of the casing 47. The plunger 48 is provided at one end with a knob 51 to allow the plunger head to be normally operated in the casing 47. A latch member 52 is pivotally secured to the under face of the guide bracket 41 and is adapted to be engaged by one end of the plunger rod 48. A pin 45 is carried and secured to the supporting arm 46 and is adapted to be held in a set position in the slot 44 by means of said latch member 52. T ierefore, it will be seen that when the arm 46 is drawn within the car, the pin 45 will easily ride over the latch member 52 and allow the pin to travel in the slot 44. WVhen the supporting arm is in this manner thrown within the car, if with too great a force the member or arm 41 will engage the spring bumper carried by the outer end of the angle member or angle portion 34. A plate 53 is positioned upon the side of the link 35 and is adapted to engage the spring bumper 40 and protect the link, in case the same should be thrown violently against the spring bumper.

The mail bag supporting arm 46 carries at its outer end a mail bag hook catching device 5 and a mail bag supporting hook 5 which are similar to those carried by the device positioned to one side of the train, as hereinbefore described. The outer end of the arm 46 is similarly constructed to the plate 23 and is provided with notches 29 in which fit stops 28 upon the mail bag hook supporting device. The outer end also tapers toward one side, thereby forming a substantially wedge-shaped structure upon which the mail bag supporting device is adapted to be mounted.

Upon the inside of the car and extending across the top of the door is positioned a track 54, which is supported by brackets 55 secured to the side ofthe car. The plate 30 is provided with outwardly extending brackets 56 which support the hanger 57. This hanger carries at its upper end a roller 58 which is adapted to travel on the track 54. The hanger 57 is also attached at its lower end, as at 59 to the upper face of the bracket 31. The track 54 is adapted to extend the entire length of the car, so that when it is so desired, the whole apparatus carried by the car can be readily moved away from the door and moved to one end of the car, and thereby be out of the way when not in use.

From the foregoing description, it will be obvious that when the hook catching device 5 catches the mail bag supporting hook 5 carried by the car, the same will be readily V detached from the support and the mail bag supporting device to one side of the car will be made to rotate and the support carried by the car will be thrown inside of the car.

\Vhat I claim is:

1. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a support, a rotatable support *arried by said stationary support, of a pivoted locking member carried by said support, a lug carried by said rotatable support, yieldable means connected to said stationary support and to said pivoted locking member for normally holding the same in engagement with said lug, and mail bag supporting means carried by said rotatable support.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a stationary support, a. rotatable support carried by said stationary support and provided with a lug formec thereon, ot' a latch pivotally connected to said stationary support, a lug carried by said rotatable support, said latch member provided with a hooked end, said hooked end adapted to catch said lug for normally holding the rotatable support in a set position, a coil spring connected, at one end, to said stationary support, and at its other end to said latch member for normally holding said hooked end in engagement with said lug, and means secured to said stationary support, and said rotatable support, for retarding the rotary movement of. said rotatable support.

In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a stationary support, a rotatable support carried by said station ary support, of a casing carried by said stationary support, spring-pressed means positioned in said casing and eccentrically connected to said rotatable support for retarding the rotary movement of the same, and mail bag supporting means carried by said rotatable support.

a. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a stationary support, of brackets carried by said support, a rot-atable support rotatably mounted upon said brackets, circular disk secured to the lower end of said rotatable support, yieldable retarding means carried by said stationary support and connected to said rotatable sup port, said retarding means comprising a casing secured to said stationary support, a plunger positioned in said casing and having one end eccentrically connected to said disk carried by the lower end of said rotatable support and yieldable means positioned in said casing and adapted to exert an inward pressure upon said plunger.

In an apparatus of the class described, the combination witha support, of a bracket carried by said support, detachable mail bag catching means secured to said bracket, mail bag catching means carried by said support, said catching means comprising a forked member provided with a long arm and a short arm, said long arm provided with a folded outer end, constituting a hook and adapted to prevent the accidental displacement of a mail bag after it has been delivered thereon.

6. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a support, of brackets suspended from said support, said brackets comprising a substantially U-shaped portion and a plate carried by one side thereof, a mail bag supporting device adapted to be detachably secured to said plate, said plate tapering toward one side and comprising a wedge for facilitating the removal of said mail bag supporting device off of said plate.

7. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a support, of brackets carried by said support, said brackets comprising a body portion, a wedge-shaped plate secured to said body portion, and provided with notches formed upon one side thereof, mail bag supporting hooks adapted to fit upon said wedge-shaped plate and means formed upon said mail bag supporting hooks for engaging said notches for normally holding the same upon said wedge shaped plate.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination with a support, of a mail bag supporting device, said device comprising a bowed-portion adapted to be detachably secured to said support, an upper hook engaging portion comprising a substantially inverted U-shaped plate and a lower depend ing bag supporting portion comprising a substantially V-shaped portion.

In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a support of a mail bag supporting device secured to said support comprising a substantially inverted U-shaped portion, a Vshaped portion extending from one side of said U-shaped portion and at right angles thereto, and said V-shaped portion terminating into a downwardly-extending V-shaped portion constituting a. bag supporting port-ion.

10. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a support, of a mail bag supporting device detachably secured to said support, said device comprising a substantially U-shaped inverted portion, substantially V shaped portions extending from one side of said U-shaped po tion, intermediate the ends, said V-shaped portions terminating into a downwardly-extending V-shaped-portion constituting a bag support-ing loop.

11. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a support, a mail bag supporting device, of a substantially inverted U-shaped portion, laterally extending portions secured to one side of said U-shaped portion and integrally secured to the same intermediate the ends, the ends of said inverted U-shaped portion constituting stops, said laterally extending portion terminating into a downwardly-extending bag supporting loop and said laterally extending portions engaging said support and normally holding said device upon said support.

12. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a support, of brackets carried by said support, said brackets provided with a laterally-extending arm having a wedge-shaped plate, said plate provided with notches formed in one side thereof, a mail ba supporting device, constituting an upper and a lower loop, and means formed upon one end of said upper loop for engaging said notches for normally holding the same upon said wedgeshaped plate.

13. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a mail bag catching and delivering device carried by a car, of a support, a bracket carried by said support, a mail bag delivering and receiving arm carried by said bracket, means carried by said bracket and arms for normally holding said arm in a set position, and guide means formed upon said bracket for allowing said arms to be thrown into said car.

14. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a mail bag receiving and delivering apparatus carried by a car, of a guide bracket positioned in said car provided with a guide formed therein, a mail bag supporting and catching arm carried by said bracket and adapted to travel upon said guidebracket, and means carried by said guide b'acket for normally holding said arm in an adjusted position. v

15. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a guide bracket, of a supporting arm carried by said bracket, said arm provided with a depending portion, said bracket provided with a slot formed therein, said depending-portion adapted to guide bracket provided with a slot formed therein, said lug adapted to travel in said slot, a latch secured to the under surface of said bracket, a spring-pressed plunger posi tioned in said casing and adapted to engage said latch, and said latch'adapted to engage said lug for normally holding the supporting arm in a set position.

17 In an apparatus of the class described,

the combination with a guide bracket, of a supporting arm provided with a depending lug carried by said guide bracket, said bracket provided with a slot formed therein, said lug adapted to travel in said slot, a pivoted latch secured to said guide bracket, a casing secured to said guide bracket, a spring-pressed plunger positioned in said pivoted latch for normally holding said lug in a set position in said slot and means formed upon one end of said plunger for allowing the'same to be withdrawn from said latch.

18. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with mail bag supporting means carried by a car, of a track positioned in said car, a hanger connected at one end to said supporting means, and roller means connected to the upper end of said hanger and traveling upon said track for allowing the mail bag supporting means to be shifted from one end of the car to the other.

19. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with mail bag sup porting means comprising a supporting plate, a primary bracket secured near one end of said plate, an auxiliary bracket secured to said plate below said primary bracket, a guide bracket secured to said plate, a mail bag supporting arm carried by said guide bracket, and adapted to travel thereon, a link-member secured to the inner end of said supporting arm and to said auxiliary bracket intermediate the ends, means connected to said primary bracket and said link member for retarding the movement of said supporting arm when mail is delivered thereon.

20. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a support, of a supporting plate, a primary and auxiliary bracket secured to said plate, a guide bracket secured to said plate, a mail bag delivering and receiving arm carried by said guide bracket, and adapted to travel thereon, a spring-pressed bumper carried by one end of said auxiliary bracket and adapted to retard the movement of said supporting arm when being thrown in engagement with the same.

21. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a mail bag delivering and receiving apparatus carried by a car, a supporting plate, primary and auxiliary brackets supported by said plate, a guide bracket secured to said plate, a mail bag supporting and delivering arm carried by said bracket and adapted to travel thereon, a link member pivotally secured to one end of said guide bracket, means interposed between said primary and auxiliary brackets and pivotally connecting said link member to said auxiliary bracket, and adapted to normally hold the supporting arm in an 1 means interposed between said primary and operative position. auxiliary brackets and engaging said link 22. In an apparatus of the character demember for normally holding said supportscribed, the combination with a support, a ing arm in an operative position.

5 primary bracket and an auxiliary bracket, In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my 15 a guide bracket secured to said support, a signature in presence of two Witnesses. mail bag supporting arm carried by said I JOHN A. BOSSI. guide bracket and adapted to travel thereon, Vitnesses: means connecting the end of said support- JonA MALIN,

l0 ing arm to said auxiliary bracket. spring RALPH R. GLENN. 

